Born in a small coal mining town in the foothills of Scratch Back, KY, at the end of World War II, Brother Charles L. Wilson, Sr came from very humble beginnings. Out of the seven families living on a side of a hill, his family was the only black family. He recalls starting school in the 2nd grade with a teacher named John Willie Combs, whom he’ll never forget, who also served as the “bus driver” picking up students in his own 1942 Ford car every day as they made their way to the one classroom building at the top of the mountain.
Brother Charles’ family moved to Dayton, Ohio when he was 10 years old. He lost his father at an early age and was raised by his mother. It was also at the age of 10 that Brother Charles began to hear the voice of God calling him.
After ignoring the call many times, in 1975, he heard the voice of God once again, calling out to him. This time the voice was in the midst of a house fire that left third-degree burns on his legs, telling him that “this is what it’s going to be like in hell.” He ultimately surrendered his life to the Lord and has been serving Him and seeking to obey the voice of God since. He went on to be a minister of the gospel, evangelizing impoverished neighborhoods, and pastoring A New Beginning Ministries for over 30 years. During his tenure as pastor, God provided resources so that he was able to purchase a facility with a vision to reach young people for Christ. Brother Charles taught vocational skills offering juveniles and adults the ability to earn an honest income.
Brother Charles served in the United States Army and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. After his military service, he attended and studied at Sinclair Community College, trained at National Cash Register (NCR) and taught mechanical skills part-time. Later, Brother Charles discovered an aptitude and skill for carpentry work and became an entrepreneur renovating homes and churches to care for his family.
He is married to a lovely woman named, Ellarie, whom when he first saw her, he was convinced she was going to be his wife. They have now been married for the last 58 years. Brother Charles is the proud father of ten living children and four who are in heaven. He has 22 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
Brother Charles is a man of faith that has seen God do miraculous things in his life and in the life of his family. He believes that his, “Greatest school has been the school of prayer, the school of on my knees”. He is currently writing his first book, that will be released this year, entitled An Interview With the Man in Hell.
In his spare time, Brother Charles enjoys spending time with his family and studying the word of God.
